The 2007 Central Otago vintage has been
recognized as one producing wines of exhilarating concentration, richness,
structure and quality. Peregrine was
duty bound to produce their second ‘Pinnacle’ in this vintage. The packaging has been improved….. The same
heavy-duty bottle has been used again.
However, the tasting notes are held by a jess, a piece of leather
falconry equipment used in supporting the bird to its handler, bound to the
neck of the bottle. The metal canister
now has a ridge built into the design for increased grip and security,
interlocking the two halves. And the
bottle is now screw-cap sealed. But does
the wine measure up to the marketing?
The answer is a resounding “yes”! The
ruby-red colour shows some lightening from extended barrel work. On bouquet, one sees that this is no ‘normal’
Central Otago expression, being brooding with
a complex dusty-earthy, savoury overlay on ripe black and red berry
fruits. It is the palate which
impresses, with its magnificent structure and immense concentration of
fine-grained tannins. One can easily
sense the layers of fruit, oak and site characters interwoven, just waiting to
unfold. Unlike the 2005 which delivered
immediately, the taut 2007 demands 2-3 years bottle-age before opening. There is no doubt this wine will live a
decade and develop a myriad of fascinating flavours. It is reminiscent of a top-flight
Richebourg. The Peregrine ‘Pinnacle’
Pinot Noir 2007 was made from clones 5, 115, 667, 777, with smaller amounts of
Abel, 10/5 and other Dijon variants, from vines
10-15 years old, 75% from the Cromwell
Basin and 25% Gibbston Valley. The fruit was totally destemmed and fermented
with indigenous and inoculated yeasts to a maximum of 34ºC after a cold
soak. The resultant wine, at 14.0% alc.
was aged 11 months in 48% new French oak, with a further 6 months maturation in
a mix of new, one and two year old barrels.
Only 1,000 bottles are available for sale in New Zealand. RC Nov 09
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